[This was originally posted with the first mystery chart, but I think it deserves [announcement status.]

In an effort to practice some astrology, not only talk about it, Mark F made a suggestion that we post a mystery chart and ask members to make some observations based on the chart. We re NOT looking to identify the individual, so if anyone recognizes the data, please withhold what you know and wait for a chart that you don’t recognize. We’re looking for things like describing physical appearance, career or type of career, marriage(s) if any, siblings, if any, children if any, health issues, honors, dishonors etc. Death may or may not be relevant, but if the chart is a long time ago, and someone wants to try it, predict a death date. No one will mind. It is not necessary to post a complete delineation; in fact it is probably better if we don’t do that. If you are interested in vocational astrology, take a stab at the career. If you like relationships, look at the marriage. Is medical astrology your cup of tea, then why not give health issues a whirl?

The purpose of this exercise is to delineate, not criticize. There is plenty of other space to discuss and critique technique on the Forum. Therefore, we would prefer that discussion and critique of a particular point raised on this thread be taken elsewhere. Questions, for the purpose of eliciting information are perfectly acceptable. Criticism, no matter how well intended, is not welcome. If a member is not impressed with a particular technique or understanding of a technique then he or she should put up his or her own, not go after someone who posted a thought or idea.

We would like to limit delineations to verifiable events and conditions. Things like “problems with his parents,” are not helpful since everyone on earth has problems with their parents at some time or other. On the other hand a statement such as, “Left home at about age 16 after altercation with father,” or even “raised by wolves in an abandoned NYC subway station” is acceptable as long as there is supporting testimony. Completely irrelevant remarks and suspicion of cheating will result in immediate deletion of the posts - probably without explanation. Please support all contentions with astrological evidence, i.e. techniques and explanations, unless it is painfully obvious. If someone wants to cheat and goes birthday hunting remember, if you’re discovered your shame will be great, and you will have accomplished nothing, except temporarily bolstering your own pitiful ego.

Placidus is the most commonly used house system, but anything is welcome. Please identify your house system for the benefit of the group. Mistakes are welcome and a post mortem is also a good idea before moving on to another chart. That will be done on another thread. This is wide open so do not feel you must limit yourself to what is mentioned. We’ll accept delineations that include the outer three, but let’s avoid asteroids, Chiron, hypothetical planets, etc on this particular forum.

Remember there are all levels of knowledge on this site from beginners to famous professionals and published authors. Be kind, but be brave. This is good opportunity for beginners to work with experienced astrologers. Errors will not result in fines.

Finally the selection of subjects is mine. I’ll probably be biased towards Americans, so feel free to send me your preferences off list, if you wish. My choices will range from saints to sinners, famous and infamous, historical and contemporary. It probably isn’t possible to find less than obvious charts that are internationally well known, so it is possible that someone will have no idea who the subject is even after revelation. This happened to me once. I worked and worked on a mystery chart and when the native was announced, I had never heard of him, but my delineation wasn’t bad, and that was the point of the exercise.

I’ll post the name of the native on a separate thread. This way if someone wishes to work with the chart after the nae is revealed, they may avoid “peeking” until they’re done and others can discover identity at their leisure. We can critique what was written on the second thread and people can read that at their leisure.

Remember we are trying to describe the individual and perhaps some events in his or her life, not identify him. While it is perfectly all right to suggest the native is a gangster, it is not acceptable to say, “I think it’s Dutch Shultz.” Mostly let’s have some fun, and keep it light.

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